The Love Bug (1968)

"Herbie's all right."
  "Who's Herbie?"
"This little car. Named after my Uncle Herb. He used to box middleweight. Preliminary, mostly. Gradually, his nose got shaped more and more like to remind me of this little car."

Jim Douglas (Jones) is a race car driver that wrecked his last car.  While looking for a replacement, he comes across a VW Bug that follows him home.  He works out a deal with Peter Thorndyke (Tomlinson), the car dealership owner, to purchase the car.  Jim begins to work on the car, while his best friend Tennessee Steinmetz (Hackett) realizes the car is special, and names it Herbie.

Soon Jim and Herbie begin winning races.  Their success aggravates Peter, who makes a bet with Jim: the winner of the upcoming "El Dorado" race will be the ultimate owner of Herbie.  With Peter's new sales girl, Carole Bennett (Lee), in their corner, can Jim and Herbie win the race, or will Peter's tricks cause them to lose?


My father loves racing, and always has (he has even published several books on the subject).  I grew up watching Nascar, Indy car, etc races on TV, and know too much about these racing styles (and can identify current drivers on sight).  As a child, my father introduced us to Herbie (we actually have a VHS copy of Herbie Rides Again), and I have loved that VW bug.

The film featured Disney favorite Dean Jones, who appeared in The Ugly Dachshund, That Darn Cat, and others (and would eventually play the villain in the first Beethoven film).  Jones is a talented leading man, and does well in the role.  He is supported by Buddy Hackett, who steals the show in every scene.  David Tomlinson, another Disney favorite, is an excellent villain, and seems to take great joy in being evil.  Joe Flynn's Havershaw is the perfect side-kick for Tomlinson.  He doesn't have a large role, but works well when he is on screen.  Benson Fong is funny as Mr. Wu.  Michele Lee is a strong female lead, who sees the potential in Herbie early on.  All of the actors add to the success of the film... but the true star is Herbie, who manages to capture your heart early on.  I know Herbie isn't real, but they genuinely convey emotion through little tricks of the car.

A great film from my childhood, that still holds up today.  I look forward to watching all of the sequels (many for the first time).  They don't make movies like this anymore.

The Love Bug (1968) 108 minutes
Director: Robert Stevenson
Starring: Dean Jones as Jim Douglas
Michele Lee as Carole Bennett
David Tomlinson as Peter Thorndyke
Buddy Hackett as Tennessee Steinmetz
Joe Flynn as Havershaw
Benson Fong as Mr. Wu

TV: Leverage

"The rich and powerful, they take what they want. We steal it back for you. Sometimes bad guys make the best good guys. We provide... 'leverage'."

Former insurance investigator Nathan Ford (Hutton) is a broken man after the death of his son.  He is approached with a special job: retrieving stolen property.  He puts together a team of criminals, the best people he chased: grifter / con artist Sophie (Bellman), hacker Hardison (Hodge), thief Parker (Riesgraf), and hitter Eliot (Kane).  But when the team is set-up to take the blame, they band together to get justice, using their unique skills to gain the upper hand.

They decide to band together and continue to help the good guys as modern day Robin Hoods.


I discovered this show when it first premiered back in 2008.  I first watched after seeing the previews on TNT.  I was hooked by the pilot, and fell in love with the cast and everything about the show.  I loved the heists and their complicated names (like in the 2000s Ocean's 11, Ocean's 12, Ocean's 13 films).

I was unfamiliar with most of the cast before the show, but each was perfectly suited for their roles.  I have loved Christian Kane since his time on Angel.  I haven't seen any of his other work, but he is still a beautiful, powerful presence.  Gina Bellman has the difficult job of portraying many different types of people (and accents), and makes it look easy.  She is also great on Coupling.  All five work well together, and something feels off when one is missing (like the episodes where Sophie is replaced).

The show managed to create interesting heists season after season, and still allow time for character growth.  The characters change and grow over time, and we are treated to a look at their lives before working together.  Unfortunately, their season 5 finale (which aired on December 25, 2012) also was their series finale.  The finale was awesome and truly wraps up many of the story lines of the season.  I will miss the show, but the ending was perfect.  I can't wait to see where these actors will end up next (I would love to see Kane show up on Bones as an old friend of Booth, or on Joss Whedon's new TV show S.H.I.E.L.D).

Cancelled too early (I wanted to see where they would go after the shake up from the Season 5 finale).

Leverage (2008-2012)
Creator: John Rogers and Chris Downey
Starring: Timothy Hutton as Nathan Ford
Gina Bellman as Sophie Devereaux
Christian Kane as Eliot Spencer
Beth Riesgraf as Parker
Aldis Hodge as Alec Hardison
Mark Sheppard as Jim Sterling

Annie (500th post!)

Hard to believe, but this is 500!!

Another 100 bites the dust... last November I celebrated the big 400 mark.  To celebrate, let's keep with the tradition of reviewing a musical made before I was born... (100 & 200 & 300 & 400).

"Leaping Lizards!"

Annie (Quinn) is an orphan living a hard-knock life in an orphanage.  Miss Hannigan (Burnett), who runs the orphanage, is perpetually drunk and hates children, and makes their lives miserable.  Annie dreams of the day when her parents return, and the life she will have with them, which gives hope to the other girls.  They help Annie escape through the laundry.

While on her own, Annie rescues a scruffy dog she names Sandy.  They are quickly recaptured and returned to Miss Hannigan, where she is scooped up by Grace Farrell (Reinking), personal secretary to billionaire Oliver Warbucks (Finney). Warbucks is trying to revamp his image, by having the press document his holiday week with an orphan.  While Warbucks was expecting a boy, he and the staff fall for Annie.

Meanwhile, back at the orphanage, Miss Hannigan receives a surprise visit from her con man brother Rooster (Curry) and his new girlfriend, Lily St. Regis (Peters), concoct a plan, involving Annie, to make their way to "Easy Street."


Annie first came to life in the 1890s through Harold Gray's comic series "Little Orphan Annie."  The strip was popular and last until the late 1960s.  The character appeared in a radio show in 1930 and in two film adaptations in the 1930s.  In 1977 Annie became a Broadway musical.  The show was successful and iconic and was turned into a film, with several changes from the show.

The cast is incredible.  A large search went out to find the perfect Annie.  Many of the girls who were in the final round for the part were ultimately cast as her friends at the orphanage.  Aileen Quinn is endearing and adorable in the role.  Albert Finney is not the first actor you think of as the male lead in a musical, let alone this musical... however, he exceeds expectation.  Carol Burnett is an inspired choice for Miss Hannigan, and takes the character in a different direction than her Broadway portrayals.  She is a raging alcoholic and incredibly entertaining.  Ann Reinking is also a Broadway vet and dancer (she was Bob Fosse's protegee)... I don't love most of her work, but I like her in this role (even though Audra McDonald is my favorite in the 1999 film version).  Tim Curry and Bernadette Peters began their careers on stage.  They are a great pairing and get to sing one of my favorite songs from the film / show, "Easy Street."

A great musical.  The show is back on Broadway, and there are rumors that Will Smith is looking to make a new film version starring his daughter Willow Smith.  An interesting idea, and I will be intrigued to see the new version.

Annie (1982) 126 minutes
Director: John Huston
Starring: Albert Finney as Oliver Warbucks
Carol Burnett as Miss Hannigan
Ann Reinking as Grace Farrell
Tim Curry as Rooster Hannigan
Bernadette Peters as Lily St. Regis
Aileen Quinn as Annie
Geoffrey Holder as Punjab
Roger Minami as Asp

Muppet Christmas Carol

"Boy, that's scary stuff! Should we be worried about the kids in the audience?"
"Nah, it's all right. This is culture!"

Ebeneezer Scrooge (Caine) is a bitter and stingy man with few friends.  On Christmas Eve, he is visited by the ghosts of his former partners, Jacob and Robert Marley, who are paying for their actions.  They explain that Scrooge will be visited by 3 more ghosts that evening.

The Ghost of Christmas Past (Jessica Fox, voice) returns Scrooge to his childhood and early career at Fozziewig's (Fozzie).  The Ghost of Christmas Present (Nelson), a jolly man, takes Scrooge on a tour of Christmas Day in the city.  He sees the life of his clerk, Bob Crachit (Kermit), and his young, sickly son Tiny Tim (Robin).  As Scrooge evaluates his life and prepares for the final spirit, The Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come, can his life really change, or is he doomed to the same fate as the Marleys?


There are countless theatrical and film versions of Charles Dickens classic, "A Christmas Carol," but this remains my favorite.  Mickey's version is also good, but Pete as the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come always freaked me out as a child, and I haven't seen it for years, so I can't compare.  Anyway, this is one of my favorite Christmas films.

The Muppets put a new spin on the tale, with Gonzo portraying Charles Dickens and serving as the story narrator.  He is paired with Rizzo, who often voices what the audience is thinking, like the quote at the beginning.  They make the story a little more "kid friendly" and funnier.  All the Muppet parts are perfectly cast, and add to the joy of the story.  Michael Caine is excellent as Scrooge, and eventually becomes sympathetic.  And he is not upstaged by the Muppet characters, he works with them.  Everyone does well with the original songs, which add to the story.

Check out the 20th Anniversary Edition, which features the song "When Love is Gone."  It is a beautiful, heartbreaking song, performed by Belle (Meredith Braun), which explains why Scrooge is alone.  This song is also available on the original VHS release, but not the 2002 DVD.


Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) 85 minutes
Director: Brian Henson
Starring: Michael Caine as Ebenezer Scrooge
Dave Goelz as (Gonzo) Charles Dickens / Robert Marley / Dr. Bunsen Honeydew
Steve Whitmire as (Kermit) Bob Crachit / Rizzo the Rat
Jerry Nelson as (Robin) Tiny Tim / Jacob Marley / Ghost of Christmas Present
Frank Oz as (Miss Piggy) Emily Crachit / (Fozzie Bear) Fozziewig

Holiday in Handcuffs

"I hope you aren't expecting alot from Santa. A federal offense probably puts you on the naughty list this year."

Gertrudge "Trudie" Chandler (Hart) is having a bad day: she is stressed about spending Christmas with her family, is late for an interview and gets dumped.  At the end of the day she has a nervous breakdown and panics by kidnapping a customer from the diner where she works, David Martin (Lopez).  On the trip to her parents remote cabin, she gives David the details about the weekend: he is her perfect boyfriend, Nick.
The cabin is in the middle of no-where and her mother has a "no phone" policy, so David is stuck.  Trudie is tired of disappointing her career driven father (Bottoms) and high-strung mother (Post), and hopes the presence of a boyfriend will keep them off her back.  David eventually decides to play along and her parents, grandma (Lockhart) and siblings (Howard and Evigan) adore him.  But with his spoiled girlfriend, Jessica (Gabrielle Miller), pestering the police, how long can Trudie keep up the charade?


Ok, so there's a story here... several years ago, after having dinner with some friends, we discovered this film playing on ABC Family.  We grew up watching Mario Lopez on "Saved by the Bell" and Melissa Joan Hart on "Clarissa Explains it All" and "Sabrina the Teenaged Witch."  So when we saw that this was playing, we decided to give a chance...  And it has been our tradition and favorite Christmas film since then.  We love it.

Don't get me wrong, it isn't a great film, but there is something about it (and other ABC Family original films), that is just campy fun.  You can see the ending coming a mile away, but it is an enjoyable ride.  Check out this Christmas when it is playing on ABC Family.

Holiday in Handcuffs (2007) 86 minutes
Director: Ron Underwood
Starring: Melissa Joan Hart as Gertrude "Trudie" Chandler
Mario Lopez as David Martin
Tim Bottoms as Richard Chandler
Markie Post as Mom
June Lockhart as Grandma
Kyle Howard as Jake Chandler
Vanessa Evigan as Katie Chandler
Gabrielle Miller as Jessica

Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

"You know, extraordinary things happen to extraordinary people."

A year after their last adventure in Narnia, Edmund (Keynes) and Lucy (Henley) Pevensie are living with relatives, while their parents and siblings get settled in America.  Their cousin, Eustace (Poulter) is horrible and they are miserable.  While arguing with Eustace, they notice a painting of a ship on the ocean, and the waves come to life, spilling water into the room.  Soon the room is filled with water, and as they swim for the surface, they are in Narnia with a great ship heading towards them.

The ship is called The Dawn Treader, and is captained by Caspian (Barnes), now King of Narnia.  Caspian and his crew, including Reepicheep (Pegg), are seeking 7 Lords of Telmar who have been missing for many years.  The Lords were loyal to Caspian's father, and fled when his uncle tried to kill them.  The Lords were last seen sailing toward the Lone Islands.  Many adventures await, but can the crew withstand the evil permeating from their destination?


Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is the 5th of 7 novels in C.S. Lewis' series... it is also my 2nd favorite novel in the series (finishing behind Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe).  For that reason, I was excited to see this film (although I was unable to see it in theaters).

The film was heavy on the CGI, as most of the events of the book would be difficult to adequately replicate.  Thankfully the CGI in the film is better than the previous 2 films.  The series also acquired a new director, Michael Apted.  While previous director, Andrew Adamson, did well... Apted brings a new energy to the film / series.

Simon Pegg is a good Reepicheep.  I liked Eddie Izzard in Prince Caspian, but I don't mind the change.  This is the first film to only feature 2 of the 4 Pevensie children.  All 4 make an appearance, but the story focuses on Lucy and Edmund.  Eustace is not a likeable character, but Will Poulter transforms the character and eventually brings you to his side.  A good film... hopefully good enough for Waldner to secure funding to make the rest of the Narnia films (not sure which will be next).

Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010) 113 minutes
Director: Michael Apted
Starring: Georgie Henley as Lucy Pevensie
Skandar Keynes as Edmund Pevensie
Ben Barnes as King Caspian
Will Poulter as Eustace Clarence Scrubb
Simon Pegg as Reepicheep

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

"He's not a tame lion."

"No... but he is good."

During WWII, the Pevensie children are evacated to live in the country with Professor Kirke (Broadbent).  The Professor is not used to having children around, and the children miss home.  One day while playing hide-and-seek, Lucy (Henley) finds a wardrobe that transports her to the land of Narnia.  In Narnia, Lucy befriends a fawn, Mr. Tumnus (McAvoy), and spends hours with him... but when she returns only moments have passed and the wardrobe is just a wardrobe.

Later, Edmund (Keynes) follows Lucy into Narnia and meets the White Witch (Swinton), who asks him to bring his siblings to Narnia. A few days later, Edmund, Susan (Popplewell), Peter (Moseley), and Lucy hide in the wardrobe to avoid the wrath of the housekeeper Mrs. Macready (Elizabeth Hawthorne).  They all end up in Narnia, and are shocked to find that they are very important to Narnia.  With the Witch and her cronies closing in, can they find the great Aslan (Neeson) in time to save Narnia?


In the 1940s, author C.S. Lewis conceived a series of children's fantasy novels called "The Chronicles of Narnia."  The seven books tell the story of the land of Narnia, from it's formation to it's ultimate destruction.  The books were written out of chronological order, beginning with "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" (LWW) (the story officially begins with "The Magician's Nephew").

LWW is the best known book / story in the Narnia series, and is the best introduction to the series.  In 2000, negotiations with C.S. Lewis' estate for the rights to the story by Walden Media.  Walden Media and director Andrew Adamson (in his first live-action film) wanted to be faithful to the books, while making minor alterations to the book (which leaves a great deal to the reader's imagination).

I saw the film in theaters, and was captivated by the world of Narnia, which exceeded by expectations.  They cast unknowns in the lead roles, to focus on the characters and not the actors.  They do a decent job, although Susan is not particularly likeable.  Liam Neeson provides the voice of Aslan, conveying much without actually appearing on screen.  The faun and centaur characters are well-done (the film one the Academy Award for Best Makeup in 2006).  The CGI is ok, but could be better... and Tilda Swinton is intense and imposing as The White Witch.

The film was successful enough for Walden to greenlight further Narnia films... and chose to make the films in the order they were written (making the second film Prince Caspian).  I look forward to seeing Walden's vision for the remaining 6 books.

There have been numerous adaptations, a few TV and animated films and some theater productions.  This is the first big movie based on C.S. Lewis' timeless classic.  A great family film, enjoyable for all Narnia fans.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (2005) 143 minutes
Director: Andrew Adamson
Starring: Georige Henley as Lucy Pevensie
Skandar Keynes as Edmund Pevensie
William Moseley as Peter Pevensie
Anna Popplewell as Susan Pevensie
Tilda Swinton as The White Witch
James McAvoy as Mr. Tumnus
Jim Broadbent as Professor Kirke

Wreck-It Ralph

"I'm bad, and that's good. I will never be good, and that's not bad. There's no one I'd rather be then me."

Wreck-It Ralph (Reilly) is the villain in the arcade game "Fix-It Felix, Jr."  For 30 years he has destroyed everything in his game, but is tired of playing the villain.  The people in the game treat him like a villain, and force him to live in the dump.  On the anniversary of the game, the people vow that if he gets a medal, they will accept him.

That night he encounters a player in the new "Hero's Duty" video game and game jumps for a chance to win a medal.  When things go wrong, he ends up in the candy themed racing game "Sugar Rush" with an unwelcome side-kick: glitch Vanellope (Silverman).  Meanwhile, with Ralph gone, the future of "Fix-It Felix, Jr." is in jeopardy.  Felix (McBrayer) sets out to find Ralph and return to normal.  He is joined by Sergeant Calhoun (Lynch), the leader of the "Hero's Duty" game, who needs to find the predator that escaped with Ralph.  Can Ralph be the hero, or will his actions destroy the arcade?


Thank you Disney for again making an excellent film that appeals to all ages.  Wreck-It Ralph is a fun and entertaining story with heart.  The underlying story of Ralph's quest to become something more than he seems, is universal.  The story is strong, with a stellar voice cast.  John C. Reilly can do anything, as he has proved with his wide repertoire, and this film is no exception.  His Ralph has a huge heart, but can also seem intimidating.  Jack McBrayer is always the naive but happy character, which suits Felix, and makes him more interesting than he initially appears.  Alan Tudyk is almost indistinguishable as King Candy, mimicking the speech of character actor Ed Wynn.  I usually find Sarah Silverman abrasive, but that worked for the character of Vanellope.

I loved the villain therapy group sessions.  The scenes feature many well-known video game villains, including the Ghosts from Pac Man and Bowser from Mario, etc.  The heroes from these films also appeared at other times.  And the 3 main games are based on actual video games: Fix-It Felix is Donkey Kong, Hero's Duty is any first player killing games, and Sugar Rush is Candy Lane / racing games.  I'm sure there are more things I missed, that regular arcade gamers would pick-up.

Overall, a great film... not what I was expecting, and not nearly as predictable as I assumed.

Wreck-It Ralph (2012) 101 minutes
Rated: PG for some rude humor and mild action / violence
Director: Rich Moore
Starring: John C. Reilly as Wreck-It Ralph
Sarah Silverman as Vanellope
Jack McBrayer as Fix-It Felix
Jane Lynch as Calhoun
Alan Tudyk as King Candy
Mindy Kaling as Taffyta Muttonfudge

Megamind

"How do I look, Minion? Do I look bad?"
"Disgustingly horrifying, sir!"
"You ALWAYS know what to say!"

Metro City is plaqued by the battle between hero Metro Man (Pitt) and villain Megamind (Ferrell).  Both were sent to Earth as babies, and have incredible skills, and have battled since infancy.  When Megamind accidentally kills Metro Man, the city surrenders.  At first Megamind enjoys his new position in the town, but quickly gets bored.

He decides to fix the problem by creating a new hero to defeat.  With the help of Minion (Cross), he uses Metro Man's DNA to create the perfect superhero and turns cameraman Hal Stewart (Hill) into Lighten.  But when Lighten prefers the life of crime, and kidnaps Roxanne Ritchie (Fey), who will save the city?


Another solid animated film from DreamWorks.  Will Ferrell films are often hit-or-miss... he is funny (watch his 3 "Best of" DVDs from SNL or search his top SNL performances), but it doesn't always translate to a 2 hour film.  But that is the joy of animation; it has the ability to capture the best of his performance.  The character is funny, with a mispronunciation of normal words: "hello", "Metro City", "school", etc, but also sympathetic.

It helps that Ferrell is surrounded by comedians who elevate his performance.  Tina Fey is great as the only sane person in the cast.  She is smart and level-headed, and still gets some great sarcastic comments.  David Cross is always great.  I have loved him since "Arrested Development", and he is perfect as Ferrell's under-appreciated cohort.  Jonah Hill is interesting as Hal / Lighten.  Brad Pitt is the only actor I couldn't identify while watching the film, but knowing he is behind the voice makes the character funnier.

It's an absurd film, but very funny.  They should use Ferrell in more animated films.

Megamind (2010) 95 minutes
Director: Tom McGrath
Starring: Will Ferrell as Megamind
Tina Fey as Roxanne Ritchie
Jonah Hill as Hal Stewart / Lighten
David Cross as Minion
Brad Pitt as Metro Man

Shrek Forever After

"There's a stack of freshly made waffles in the middle of the forest! Don't you find that a wee bit suspicious?"

Shrek (Myers) is frustrated with the monotony of his life.  Now that he and Fiona (Diaz) have a family, he no longer feels like an ogre.  People want his autograph and / or want him to roar for their children.  He longs for the days when he was feared by all.  After exploding at his triplets birthday party, he makes a deal with Rumplestiltskin (Dohrn) to get his old life back for a day.

When he wakes up, people run away in fear.  But there is a catch, no one, but Rumplestiltskin, remembers him.  Rumplestiltskin has changed history, and is now the ruler of Far Far Away, with an army of witches.  Ogres are outlaws, led by Fiona and her fat pet Puss in Boots (Banderas).  Donkey (Murphy), Gingy (Conrad Vernon), Wolf (Aron Warner), Pinocchio (Cody Cameron), and the three pigs (Cody Cameron) are forced to work for Rumplestiltskin.  Shrek has one day to make Fiona fall in love with him, or his life is lost forever.

After feeling disappointed by Shrek the Third, I had no intention to see the 4th film.  However, on Thanksgiving day, there was an all-day marathon, so I decided to give it a try.  The writers / director made the wise choice to abandon most of the stupidity of the 3rd film: boring King Arthur, the princess (both of which should have been a grand slam, but never reached their potential), etc.  They returned to the things that made the other films work: Shrek and his relationships, proving that he is more than just a scary ogre.

And using Rumplestiltskin to change everything we know about the characters was brilliant.  After 3 films and several holiday specials and a Broadway musical, audiences know the characters.  They know everything about the characters and are used to seeing them in certain ways... it was a smart decision to change the way you see the characters.  It was a risk, but it pays off in a big way.

As usual, the voice talents are incredible.  The usual cast is in top form, breathing new life into these beloved characters.  The new characters are also entertaining.  Rumplestiltskin is voiced by Walt Dohrn, who was the Head of the Story.  Dohrn was responsible for voicing all the characters during the storyboard phases.  No actor could match Dohrn's voice for Rumplestiltskin, so they cast him.  Rumplestiltskin appeared briefly in the 3rd film, working for Charming:

"And you Frumpy Pig Skin"

"It's Rumplestiltskin"

but is completely different here

A fitting end for Shrek and company.

Shrek Forever After (2010) 93 minutes
Director: Mike Mitchell
Starring: Mike Myers as Shrek
Eddie Murphy as Donkey
Cameron Diaz as Fiona
Antonio Banderas as Puss in Boots
Julie Andrews as Queen
Jon Hamm as Brogan
John Cleese as King Harold
Craig Robinson as Cookie
Walt Dohrn as Rumplestiltskin

Safety Not Guaranteed

"What kind of lasers?"
"I don't know, I'm not a freakin' storm trooper."

Writer Jeff Schwensen (Johnson) is intrigued by a classified ad:

Wanted: Somebody to go back in time with me. This is not a joke. P.O. Box 91 Ocean View, WA 99393. You'll get paid after we get back. Must bring your own weapons. Safety not guaranteed. I have only done this once before.

And wants to interview the individual who wrote it.  His boss, Bridget (Mary Lynn Rajskub), agrees to the story and allows two interns, Arnau (Soni) and Darius (Plaza) to help.  Darius is going nowhere in life and is perpetually sad, while Arnau is using the internship to diversify his resume.

They find the man who wrote the ad, Kenneth Calloway (Duplass), working at a grocery store and extremely paranoid.  Darius approaches him and begins training to be his traveling companion.  Meanwhile, Jeff looks his first love, Liz (Bergere), while teaching Arnau about life.  Is Kenneth crazy, dangerous, or a genius?


This movie really was not what I was expecting.  Based on the premise, it could be overly scientific and boring, or it could treat the entire time travel plot as a joke...  But the writers / director keep you guessing.  Like Darius, you don't know what to believe, and every time you form an opinion, something changes.  It's rare to find a film that keeps you on your toes, without subtle hints about the ending or major upcoming twists.

The cast is great, without falling into stereotypes.  The three main characters are portrayed by TV stars.  Aubrey Plaza, of "Parks and Rec," is Darius... a much less intense character than her TV character.  She is an interesting female lead, and plays off her male co-stars well.  Mark Duplass, of "The League," often appears in indie comedies, so I wasn't sure how he would do.  I was pleasantly surprised by his performance, and hope that Hollywood takes notice and uses him more.  Jake Johnson is one of my favorite characters on "New Girl," and continues to shine here.  He works as the straight man, although I do love his eccentricities.

Great film, wish it had more good press so a wider audience could experience it's awesomeness.

Safety Not Guaranteed (2012) 86 minutes
Rated: R for language including some sexual references
Director: Colin Trevorrow
Starring: Aubrey Plaza as Darius Britt
Mark Duplass as Kenneth Calloway
Jake Johnson as Jeff Schwensen
Karan Soni as Arnau
Jenica Bergere as Liz

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

"I want you to help me catch a killer of women."

Journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Craig) published a story without adequate sources and lost all credibility.  He is approached by Henrik Vanger (Plummer) to solve a decades old crime: the murder of his favorite niece, Harriet.  Mikael agrees, and also agrees to the facade that he is writing Henrik's biography.

The Vanger family live on an island, with only one way on or off.  The day Harriet disappeared the entire family was on the island, and the bridge was blocked, making the entire Vanger family suspect.  Mikael moves to the island to conduct his research.  As the information builds up, he requests a research assistant and is directed to Lisbeth Salander (Mara).  Lisbeth is a talented hacker and is intrigued by the case.  Can they find the truth, and fix Mikael's reputation?


When I heard there was going to be an American version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo novel by Stieg Larsson, I was apprehensive... I devoured all three novels in the "Millenium" series, and watched the Swedish version of the film (Män som hatar kvinnor).  Actress Noomi Rapace embodied the character of Lisbeth, and I couldn't imagine any other actress doing the role justice... also, I was nervous about a Hollywood version of the story.  After watching the film, I'm not sure how to feel about it...

The film maintains the violence and graphic rape / nudity of the story.  It seems to glorify in the violence and nudity, taking it to a sickening level.  The film was uncomfortable to watch.  I know it isn't about a cheery subject, but it was an unsettling film.  I don't know much about director David Fincher's style, as I have only seen 2 of his other films: Se7en and Fight Club... but this film didn't enhance my desire to dive into more (unless he directs the 2 other films in the series).

Daniel Craig, who is the current James Bond, is fine as Mikael.  He is a strong leading man, and works well here, even if he isn't the first person you picture in the part.  Rooney Mara is good as Lisbeth, taking the character to a different place than Rapace.  This Lisbeth feels more like an outsider, which is truer to the books.  The story also managed to stay very close to the novel, only removing a few plotlines.  I thought the Swedish version was pretty accurate, but this one is much closer to the novel.

I'm intrigued to see where the series goes from here... I can't recommend the film, but if you are interested in it, I would suggest reading the novel first, so you know exactly what you are getting into.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) 158 minutes
Rated: R for brutal violent content including rape and torture, strong sexuality, graphic nudity, and language
Director: David Fincher
Starring: Daniel Craig as Mikael Blomkvist
Rooney Mara as Lisbeth Salander
Christopher Plummer as Henrik Vanger
Stellan Skarsgard as Martin Vanger
Steven Berkoff as Dirch Frode
Robin Wright as Erika Berger
Yorick van Wageningen as Nils Bjurman
Joely Richardson as Anita Vanger
Geraldine James as Cecilia Vanger
Goran Visnjic as Dragan Armansky

The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement

"The Queen is never late, everybody else is simply early."

Five years after becoming the heir to the Genovian crown, Princess Mia Thermopolis (Hathaway) learns there are more obstacles in her path.  First, Genovian law states that she must be married to be eligible to rule.  They begin to screen appropriate choices, settling on an arranged marriage with Duke Andrew Jacoby (Blue) of England.

Meanwhile, Viscount Mabrey (Rhys-Davies) presents another potential heir to the throne: his nephew Nicholas Devereaux (Pine).  Nicholas was born and raised in Genovia, and knows the laws and traditions.  To keep the Viscount in check, Queen Clarice (Andrews) invites Nicholas to live in the palace until Mia's coronation.


The Princess Diaries did so well, director Garry Marshall made a sequel.  However, the original male lead, Robert Schwartzman, did not want to return... so they had to deviate from the storyline of Meg Cabot's "Princess Diaries" series.  They address Michael's absence during Mia's opening voice over.

They also moved the setting to Genovia, which allowed new characters to appear, while still keeping the core characters around.  Some minor characters, such a reporter and one of the teachers, pop up during the film.  The male characters are welcome additions to the cast, while Kim Thomson's reporter verges on grating.  John Rhys-Davies is great as the mustache-twirling villain... although he is better known for playing supporting characters.  Chris Pine and Callum Blue are fine as the men vying for Mia's attention.  Both are decent actors and attractive.  Don't even get me started on the other princess characters... is there really a point to their presence in the film?  Raven-Symone is not necessary for the film, and I still genuinely don't know why they added her character, but then barely used her: either expand the character or lose it completely.

When the film originally premiered, I preferred it's predecessor... but watching them now, I prefer this film.  They are both fun films (especially when they are back-to-back on TV), and worth looking into.

The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004) 113 minutes
Director: Garry Marshall
Starring: Anne Hathaway as Mia Thermopolis
Julie Andrews as Queen Clarice Renaldi
Hector Elizondo as Joe
John Rhys-Davies as Viscount Mabrey
Heather Matarazzo as Lily Moscovitz
Chris Pine as Nicholas Devereaux
Callum Blue as Andrew Jacoby
Kathleen Marshall as Charlotte Kutaway
Tom Poston as Lord Palimore
Joel McCrary as Prime Minister Motaz
Kim Thomson as Reporter Elsie Penworthy

The Princess Diaries

"You know, most kids hope for a car for their 16th birthday, not a country!"

Mia Thermopolis (Hathaway) feels invisible: people sit on her and barely know she's alive.  She lives with her mother, Helen (Goodall), and has never met her father or his family.  Before her 16th birthday, she is invited to have tea with her grandmother.  Mia learns that her grandmother, Clarice (Andrews), is the queen of the small European country of Genovia.  Also, since the death of her father, Mia is the only heir to the throne.

Every day leading up to her birthday, Mia secretly goes to the Genovian embassy to receive princess lessons from her grandmother.  To avoid a media firestorm, they keep the news a secret, and she also receives protection from Joe (Elizondo), the head of Genovian security.  She undergoes a makeover, making everyone notice her.  Can she keep the secret from her best friend Lily Moscovitz (Matarazzo) and everyone else in her life?


I was in high school when this film debuted and I fell in love with it immediately.  I loved it so much that it was the first movie I ever bought.  It's the film that originally made many people (including me) fall in love with Anne Hathaway.  And with Julie Andrews as the Queen, how could it be anything other than awesome?

The story was taken from the popular "Princess Diaries" series written by Meg Cabot.  I have never read any of the "Princess Diaries" books, but the story still resonates.  This is the dream of most little girls: becoming a real-life princess.  But this isn't the dream... this isn't like the Disney princesses we grew up with, this is about the challenges of being in the limelight in this modern world.  It isn't just frilly dresses and being awesome...  In the end it is a story about figuring out who you are and what you want to be, which is universally relate-able.

The perfect film for girls... (and there's a sequel!)

The Princess Diaries (2001) 115 minutes
Director: Garry Marshall
Starring: Anne Hathaway as Mia Thermopolis
Julie Andrews as Queen Clarice Renaldi
Hector Elizondo as Joe
Heather Matarazzo as Lily Moscovitz
Mandy Moore as Lana Thomas
Caroline Goodall as Helen Thermopolis
Robert Schwartzman as Michael Moscovitz
Erik Von Detten as Josh Bryant
Patrick Flueger as Jeremiah Hart

Snow White and the Huntsman

"What does she want from me?"
"Your beating heart."

After the death of his wife, King Magnus (Noah Huntley) is bewitched by the beautiful Ravena (Theron).  They marry, and she kills him and steals the kingdom, and keeps his daughter locked in a tower.  Years later the kingdom is in ruins.  Ravena still looks young and beautiful, after draining the life from the women of the country.  She learns the only way to stay young forever, is to consume the heart of the king's daughter, Snow White (Stewart).

Snow manages to excape, and makes her way to the dark forest.  Ravena's men, led by her brother Finn (Spruell), are unable to follow her, so they force the Huntsman (Hemsworth) to lead the expedition.  Meanwhile, Snow's childhood friend William (Claflin) begins his own rescue mission.  With a scrappy troupe of dwarves: Beith (McShane), Muir (Hoskins), Gort (Winstone), Nion (Frost), Duir (Marsan), Coll (Jones), Quert (Harris),  and Gus (Gleeson), can Snow reclaim her kingdom.


I watched this film with a few friends... and while the film was running we kept noticing the similarities between this film and other recent films, including Twilight.  It is an interesting film... not what you expect.  It isn't bad, it's unique.  Charlize Theron is incredible as Ravena: creepy and intimidating.  I still don't see what's so great about Kristen Stewart... she has 2 expressions, and is an ok actress.  The male leads were fine.  Unlike other Snow White films, the dwarf characters were not played by little people, they were played by actors, with their faces imposed on the bodies of little people.  I really don't see why that needed to happen... there are plenty of talented actors who are little people, and apparently this decision received a significant amount of flack during the casting process.

All in all, the cast and effects are impressive, but the story is not what you expect.

Snow White and the Huntsman (2012) 127 minutes
Rated: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and brief sensuality
Director: Rupert Sanders
Starring: Kristen Stewart as Snow White
Chris Hemsworth as The Huntsman
Charlize Theron as Ravena
Sam Claflin as William
Sam Spruell as Finn
Ian McShane as Beith
Bob Hoskins as Muir
Ray Winstone as Gort
Nick Frost as Nion
Eddie Marsan as Duir
Toby Jones as Coll
Johnny Harris as Quert
Brian Gleeson as Gus

Luftslottet som sprängdes: Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

After being shot, Lisbeth Salander (Rapace) is placed in intensive care.  While Lisbeth fights for her life, a secret group work to blame her for everything.  Her father (Georgi Staykov) is a few rooms away recovering from his injuries, while deadly giant Ronald Nidermann (Spreitz) hides from the police.

Meanwhile, Mikael Blomkvist (Nyqvist) and the staff of the Millenium, plan to publish Lisbeth's story and the conspiracy surrounding her life.  They convince Mikael's sister, Annika Giannini (Hallin), to serve as Lisbeth's lawyer and protect her in ways they cannot.


The final film based on the late Stieg Larsson's Millenium trilogy (after The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl Who Played with Fire).  It's been awhile since I read thebook, but I assume it sticks relatively close to the novel... with minor plot and character omissions that are not necessary to the pacing of the story.  This film has the same director at the helm (Niels Arden Oplev directed the first).

Unlike the other films, this film has minimal violence, as it mostly takes place in the courtroom and / or Millenium's investigation.  There is a big confrontation towards the end of the film, but that is about it.

Once again Michael Nyqvist and Noomi Rapace deliver intense performances.  They are great actors, and I love seeing them in Hollywood films.  The rest of the cast is fine, but doesn't hold a candle to Nyqvist and Rapace.

This film is in Swedish, with subtitles.  There is a significant amount of swearing.

A good film, but not as exciting as it's predecessor.  As usual, the book is better!

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest [Luftslottet som sprangdes] (2009) 147 minutes
Rated: R for strong violence, some sexual material, and brief language
Director: Daniel Alfredson
Starring: Michael Nyqvist as Mikael Blomkvist
Noomi Rapace as Lisbeth Salander
Lena Endre as Erika Berger
Annika Hallin as Annika Giannini
Jacob Ericksson as Christer Malm
Sofia Ledarp as Malin Erikson
Anders Ahlbom as Dr. Peter Teleborian
Mikael Spreitz as Ronald Niedermann

What to Expect When You're Expecting

"She's like a magical pregnancy unicorn."

Five couples have nine months to prepare to be first time parents:

-Jules (Diaz), a weight-loss trainer, and Evan (Morrison), a professional dancer, try to bring their baby into the world, without slowing down their busy lives.
-Women's pregnancy author Wendy (Banks) and her foodie husband Gary (Falcone) are excited to finally be pregnant
-Retired racecar driver Ramsey (Quaid) and his much younger, trophy wife Skyler (Decker) are expecting twins
-Photographer Holly (Lopez) and her producer husband Alex (Santoro) are trying to adopt, even though he doesn't feel ready
-Rival food truck owners Rosie (Kendrick) and Marco (Crawford) have a one-night stand and unexpected consequences


The trailer for the film looked ok, but I assumed it was one of those comedies that shows all the funny moments in the trailer.  So I never really planned to see the film... but many of my friends saw the film and loved it, so I added it to my Netflix queue, and was pleasantly surprised.

Elizabeth Banks steals the show as Wendy, who gets more than she expected.  She has great chemistry with Ben Falcone, and has several funny conversations with Rebel Wilson.  Brooklyn Decker doesn't get to do much, but she has many funny moments.  The "Guys Group" is funnier than I expected... Chris Rock, Rob Huebel, Thomas Lennon, and Amir Talai are great together. They have strong chemistry, and the cute kids help.

A solid ensemble comedy.

What to Expect When You're Expecting (2012) 110 minutes
Rated: PG-13 for crude and sexual content, thematic elements and language.
Director: Kirk Jones
Starring: Cameron Diaz as Jules
Jennifer Lopez as Holly
Elizabeth Banks as Wendy Cooper
Chance Crawford as Marco
Brooklyn Decker as Skyler Cooper
Ben Falcone as Gary Cooper
Anna Kendrick as Rosie
Matthew Morrison as Evan
Dennis Quaid as Ramsey Cooper
Chris Rock as Vic
Rodrigo Santoro as Alex
Joe Manganiello as Davis
Rob Huebel as Gabe
Thomas Lennon as Craig
Amir Talai as Patel

Dark Shadows (2012)

"You locked me in a box, for over two hundred years!"
"Don't exaggerate, it was only a hundred and ninety-six."

Barnabas Collins (Depp) angered a witch in the 1700s and is cursed as a vampire.  The people of the town chain him in a coffin and bury him alive.  Almost 200 years later, Barnabas is freed and returns to the family estate.  The years have not been kind to the Collins family, their wealth and business have grown stagnate, and they have been cursed.

The Collins estate is home to widow Elizabeth Collins Stoddard (Pfeiffer), her angry teenage daughter Carolyn (Moretz), her shady brother Roger Collins (Miller), Roger's special son David (McGrath), David's new nanny Victoria (Heathcote), and psychiatrist Dr. Julia Hoffman (Bonham Carter).  Angelique (Green), the witch who cursed Barnabas, has the Collins familly in her sights... can Barnabas save the family?


The film is based on the gothic soap opera with the same name.  Dark Shadows originally ran from 1966 to 1971.  It was revived in 1991 and 2004.  Tim Burton and Johnny Depp were huge fans of the original show and wanted to bring it to a bigger audience.  They recruited other Dark Shadows fans and Burton regulars to fill the cast and crew.

I've never seen the show, and don't really have a desire to see it... however, I enjoy (many) Burton films, so I figured I'd give it a try.  Johnny Depp continues to shine in a quirky role.  Yes, he can play the handsome leading man, but it really comes alive in the roles you don't expect.  Helena Bonham Carter matches Depp's weirdness factor, while no one else quite reaches that level.  They are all good, but Depp and Carter are the highlights.

It is an interesting film, that probably appeals more to fans of the show... and diehard Burton fans.

Dark Shadows (2012) 113 minutes
Rated: PG-13 for comic horror violence, sexual content, some drug use, language and smoking
Director: Tim Burton
Starring: Johnny Depp as Barnabas Collins
Michelle Pfeiffer as Elizabeth Collins Stoddard
Helena Bonham Carter as Dr. Julia Hoffman
Eva Green as Angelique Bouchard
Jackie Earle Haley as Willie Loomis
Johnny Lee Miller as Roger Collins
Bella Heathcote as Victoria Winters / Josette DuPres
Chloe Grace Moretz as Carolyn Stoddard
Gulliver McGrath as David Collins

The Front Page (1974)

"Well, if it's in the papers, it must be true. They wouldn't print a lie."

Hildy Johnson (Lemmon) is the best reporter at the Chicago Examiner, but quits to get married.  His editor, Walter Burns (Matthau), plans to fight dirty to keep him around.  Meanwhile, the big news story is Earl Williams (Pendleton), who was convicted of murder and sentenced to hang the next day.  The newsmen painted Earl as a dangerous, despite his meek nature.

During his final psych evaluation, Earl manages to escape.  The entire police force and the reporters are on Earl's trail... but he stumbles into Hildy and Walter's path.  With the biggest scoop in his lap, will Hildy choose the story or his fiance, Peggy Grant (Sarandon)?


"The Front Page" was originally conceived as a stage play in 1928.  The story gained popularity, and was turned into a film in 1931.  In 1940, Howard Hughes turned it into a battle of the sexes, making Hildy a woman and Walter's ex wife.  In 1974, Billy Wilder decided to remake the film with Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon, in their third on screen pairing.  Unlike the other films, Wilder chose to set the film in the 1920's, which is the time period of the original story.

The story and characters are engaging.  Lemmon and Matthau are always great together, and this film is no different.  They are perfect partners in crime and foils for each other.  The rest of the cast doesn't stand a chance when matched with Matthau / Lemmon.  The other newsmen are entertaining as a group, and get some great scenes.  Austin Pendleton's Earl Williams works in the film, but doesn't get to do much.  The women of the film don't get to do much, and more or less fade into the background, which is disappointing since they are played by Susan Sarandon and Carol Burnett.  Sarandon is the fiance, a character that you don't really care about.  Burnett, an excellent comedienne, is miscast as Earl's girlfriend Mollie.

The film is fine, but pales in comparison to Hughes His Girl Friday.

The Front Page (1974) 105 minutes
Director: Billy Wilder
Starring: Jack Lemmon as Hildy Johnson
Walter Matthau as Walter Burns
Susan Sarandon as Peggy Grant
Vincent Gardenia as Sheriff "Honest Pete" Hartman
David Wayne as Roy Bensinger
Allen Garfield as Kruger
Charles Durning as Murphy
Herb Edelman as Schwartz
Austin Pendleton as Earl Williams
Carol Burnett as Mollie Malloy
Harold Gould as The Mayor

Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

"Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the War Room."

Air Force Brigadier General Jack Ripper (Hayden) sends an order to all the planes flying near the Soviet Union, with orders to attack.  He also issues orders to go to radio silence until the target is destroyed.  His second in command, Group Captain Lionel Mandrake (Sellers), believes it is a test.  But the General refuses to call off the attack and seals the base.

Meanwhile, President Merkin Muffley (Sellers) convenes his top advisers in the War Room to assess the situation.  General Buck Turgidson (Scott) thinks they should allow the attack to proceed, but nuclear scientist Dr. Strangelove (Sellers) warns of fatal outcomes.

As the War Room fights, Major T.J. "King" Kong (Pickens) and his crew prepare to reach their target.


This film is widely considered one of the greatest comedy films.  It is a dark comedy, that mixes the intensity of the situation with the behavior of the characters.  A strong cast makes this film even better.

Peter Sellers proves his comedic prowess by portraying three lead characters, with different accents: Lionel Mandrake is a nervous Brit, President Muffley is American, and Dr. Strangelove is an eccentric former Nazi.  Of all of these characters, Dr. Strangelove stands out the most.  The character has one hand that he cannot control.  Also, typically when the character is on the screen, he is alone, as the rest of the cast had a hard time maintaining a straight face during his scenes.

Veteran actor Sterling Hayden is intriguing as the unhinged Brigadier General.  George C. Scott chews the scenery as Buck... he plays it broad and loud, but you can't help but enjoy the character.  And Slim Pickens is always enjoyable, with his heavy Southern accent.  Pickens also appears in the most iconic scene of the film.

The content is not the most current.  The film was made during the 1960s, when people were especially worried about the threat of a nuclear attack and tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union were high.  This is the first and only Stanley Kubrick film I've seen... not sure I want to see any of his other films.

Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) 95 minutes
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Starring: Peter Sellers as Group Captain Lionel Mandrake / President Merkin Muffley / Dr. Strangelove
George C. Scott as General Buck Turgidson
Sterling Hayden as Brigadier General Jack Ripper
Keenan Wynn as Colonel Bat Guano
Slim Pickens as Major T.J. "King" Kong
Peter Bull as Russian Ambassador Alexi de Sadesky
James Earl Jones as Lieutenant Luthar Zogg
Tracy Reed as Miss Scott

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941)

"The world is yours, darling...the moment is mine."

Dr. Henry Jekyll (Tracy) is a gifted and revered doctor.  He is in love with Beatrix Emery (Turner), but her father, Sir Charles Emery (Crisp), is concerned with Jekyll's radical new ideas.  Jekyll thinks it's possible to remove the good and evil natures of a person.

He throws himself in the study and creates a serum that could work, and begins testing it on himself.  The serum changes everything about him, and he creates a different persona: Mr. Hyde.  Hyde is a violent person, with a gruffer personality and voice.  Hyde begins a relationship with barmaid Ivy Peterson (Bergman), who expressed an interest in Jekyll after he rescued her.

What life will Jekyll choose?

Like Frankenstein, this is a horror classic that I thought I knew (based on cartoons of my youth), but in reality, I didn't have the whole story.  I knew the story of Jekyll and Hyde because of Bugs Bunny:

I know, I know, as a Literature lover I should read the actual novel... but till that happens, I read a basic description online.  Also, for Christmas last year, I bought TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection: Horror (House of Wax 1953 / The Haunting 1963 / Freaks / Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde 1941).  This Halloween seemed like the perfect time to start watching these films.  I decided to start with the oldest film, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde... which ended up being the only film I watched (as 1. I was busy and 2. I had several "classic" horror films in my Netflix queue, so I decided to work my way through those).

When I looked up this version on IMDb, the comments said that the 1931 Fredric March version was better, and that this film was considered a black mark on Spencer Tracy's career.  At this point I haven't seen any other version of the story (unless you count the 2007 BBC series "Jekyll," so I don't know how it compares to other films.

Spencer Tracy is an interesting choice for the lead.  He is a talented actor, but I don't love him in this part.  And it was interesting to see Ingrid Bergman as the "bad" girl.  She was supposed to play Beatrix, but convinced the producers to switch her to Ivy.  She does ok in the part.  Based on the talent of the cast, I expected this to be better.  It isn't bad, but it isn't great.  Perhaps it gets better with subsequent viewings.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941) 113 minutes
Director: Victor Fleming
Starring: Spencer Tracy as Dr. Jekyll / Mr. Hyde
Ingrid Bergman as Ivy Peterson
Lana Turner as Beatrix Emery
Donald Crisp as Sir Charles Emery
Ian Hunter as Dr. John Lanyon

Rock of Ages

"This place is about to become a sea of sweat, ear-shattering music and puke."

Sherrie Christian (Hough) goes to Hollywood to get her big break as a singer, but gets mugged on her first day.  She meets Drew Boley (Boneta), who works at the notorious rock club The Bourbon Club, who gets her a job at the club.

The club is struggling financially, but owner Dennis Dupree (Baldwin) finds a way to break even, when the band Arsenal decide to use the club for their final performance.  As Dennis and manager Lonny (Brand) celebrate, the new city mayor (Bryan Cranston) and his wife Patricia (Zeta-Jones) begin a campaign to rid the city of The Bourbon Club.  The fate of the club lies in the hands of unreliable rocker, Stacee Jax (Cruise), the lead singer of Arsenal.  Will rock and roll prevail, or will the club be demolished?


The film was based on the 2007 Broadway jukebox musical, featuring classic rock songs from the 1980s.  The show was popular enough to get Hollywood's attention.  Adam Shankman, who brought Broadway's beloved Hairspray to film, is an interesting choice for director.  The show is funny, but has a dark side... which did not translate in Shankman's version of the film.  And he chose to cast well-known actors, with the exception of Mary J. Blige, instead of people who are known to do both (although, Julianne Hough and Catherine Zeta-Jones have recently appeared in film musicals).

But I have a few questions:

1) Why change the story?  It waters down the story, gets rid of several beloved characters and adds other characters.  The changes are big enough to change the overall message and tone of the story.

2) Why not cast anyone from any version of the stage show?  Mitchell Jarvis originated the role of Lonny, but was replaced by Russell Brand?  In what world does that make sense?  And I would have loved to see Will Swenson return to the role of Stacee Jax.  Yes, there is nothing wrong with recasting and adding bigger stars to get a larger audience... but you could still cast some theatre actors to fill the roles.

3) What purpose does Bryan Cranston's character serve?

4) Is there a reason that some songs from the show were replaced for the film?  I assume it has to do with copyright issues...

As I write this review, I am listening to the Broadway soundtrack for Rock of Ages... which is awesome.  I enjoyed the film, and will probably listen to it at some point.  Now I want to see the show, which I assume will be far superior to the film (which is normal for musicals).

Rock of Ages (2012) 123 minutes
Rated: PG-13 for sexual content, suggestive dancing, some heavy drinking, and language
Director: Adam Shankman
Starring: Julianne Hough as Sherrie Christian
Diego Boneta as Drew Boley
Russell Brand as Lonny Barnett
Paul Giamatti as Paul Gill
Catherine Zeta-Jones as Patricia Whitmore
Malin Akerman as Constance Sack
Mary J. Blige as Justice Charlier
Alec Baldwin as Dennis Dupree
Tom Cruise as Stacee Jax

Phantom of the Opera at Royal Albert Hall

A Parisian Opera House is terrorized by an unseen "opera ghost," who they call The Phantom (Karimloo).  The new owners, Andre (Snook) and Firmin (James), allow the Phantom's protege Christine Daae (Boggess), to take the lead in the current opera.  Their benefactor, Raoul (Fraser) the Vicomte de Chagny, is a Christine's childhood friend and first love.  With jealousy in the air, will the entire company survive the opera season.

My first introduction to Andrew Lloyd Webber's beloved stage show, "The Phantom of the Opera" was the 2004 film version (which, oddly enough, I have not reviewed).  I loved the 2004 film so much, that I invested in the original West End soundtrack, which I loved.

Since then I have wanted to see the show, but haven't had the chance (yet).  When I discovered the 25th Anniversary show at Royal Albert Hall, I had to give it a chance, and I loved it.  The cast is incredible and the set designs were breathtaking.  Ramin Karimloo played the Phantom in the musical sequel to to "Phantom", called "Love Never Dies."  Sierra Boggess played the role of Christine in the Las Vegas and co-starred with Karimloo in "Love Never Dies."

At the end of the production, Webber says a few words and introduces the original cast.  And there is a special performance by Sarah Brightman and the most famous Phantoms.  It was incredible!

The Phantom of the Opera at Royal Albert Hall (2011) 137 minutes
Director: Nick Morris and Laurence Connor
Starring; Ramin Karimloo as The Phantom
Sierra Boggess as Christine
Hadley Fraser as Raoul
Wendy Ferguson as Carlotta Guidicelli
Barry James as Monsieur Firmin
Gareth Snook as Monsieur Andre
Liz Robertson as Madame Giry
Wynne Evans as Ubaldo Piangi
Daisy Maywood as Meg Giry

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

"There's no emotion. None. Just the pretense of it. The words, the gesture, the tone of voice, everything else is the same, but not the feeling."

Dr. Miles Bennell (McCarthy) is called home from a conference to deal with strange occurrences.  People in town claim that their loved ones are somehow different, they look and act the same, but are devoid of emotions.  However, as he begins investigating, everyone claims they were wrong.

Soon his friends Jack (Donovan) and Teddy (Jones) find a body in their home that closely resembles Jack.  Feeling spooked, they camp out at Miles' home... and rescue Miles girlfriend Becky (Wynter).  Can they figure out what's happening in town and stop it in time?


I'd heard of this film, and figured October was the perfect time to watch it.  The film is ranked on several of the American Film Institute's (AFI) top film lists: "Ten top Ten" and "100 Years 100 Thrills."  The film is ranked among the greatest science fiction films.

The film is based on the 1954 novel "The Body Snatchers" by Jack Finney.  While the story is based on the novel, the ending is different.  In 1978, the film was remade.

It is an interesting film, that puts you on the edge of your seat.  Despite its age, I don't think any newer film could duplicate the intensity of the original.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) 80 minutes
Director: Don Siegel
Starring: Kevin McCarthy as Dr. Miles Bennell
Dana Wynter as Becky Driscoll
Larry Gates as Dr. Danny Kauffman
King Donovan as Jack Belicec
Carolyn Jones as Theodora "Teddy" Belicec
Jean Willes as Nurse Sally Withers

Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted

"What're you doing? Zebras can't drive, only penguins and people can drive!"

The penguins and chimps left for a vacation in Monte Carlo.  When they do not return, Alex (Stiller) the lion, Marty (Rock) the zebra, Melman (Schwimmer) the giraffe, and Gloria (Pinkett Smith) set out to find them and finally return to their beloved Central Park Zoo.  But things in Monte Carlo do not go as planned, and they go on the run from France's Animal Control, led by Captain Chantel DuBois (McDormand).

To escape Animal Control they hop aboard a train of circus animals, led by Russian tiger Vitaly (Cranston), Gia (Chastain) the jaguar, and optimistic seal Stefano (Short).  To get back to New York, they claim to be circus animals as well, and join the act.

I enjoy the Madagascar films and watch them whenever they are on TV.  I don't tend to seek them out, but if they are there, I'll watch.  So I didn't see a huge need for a 3rd Madagascar film... and then I saw the trailer.  I fell in love with the infectious "Circus Afro" song, which you cannot get out of your head.  It's silly and verges on annoying, but you can't help but feel something towards it.

Once again Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer and Jada Pinkett Smith deliver solid performances and exude chemistry.  You can tell they are having a blast!  Sacha Baron Cohen is wonderfully over the top, but not overused.  The new animal characters are interesting and fit well into the story.  The human characters are obnoxious, but they tend to be in the Madagascar film series.  Frances McDormand is a talented actress, but her character is too much.  The only other character issue is the lack of the penguins.  They get some great lines and moments as usual, but they are not a focus of the film, although they do have a TV show "Penguins of Madagascar" on Nickelodeon.

A fun, funny film that the whole family will love... especially if you already love the other 2 Madagascar films.

Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (2012) 93 minutes
Director: Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath, Conrad Vernon
Starring: Ben Stiller as Alex
Chris Rock as Marty
David Schwimmer as Melman
Jada Pinkett Smith as Gloria
Sacha Baron Cohen as King Julien
Cedric the Entertainer as Maurice
Andy Richter as Mort
Tom McGrath as Skipper
Frances McDormand as Captain Chantel DuBois
Jessica Chastain as Gia
Bryan Cranston as Vitaly
Martin Short as Stefano

The Pirates! Band of Misfits

"Can we get there?"
"Yes, but unfortunately there's this dirty great sea monster in the way."
"I think they just add those on the maps for decoration."
"Is that a fact?"

Pirate Captain (Grant) and his motley crew are the laughing stocks of the pirate profession, but that does not stop Pirate Captain from entering the Pirate of the Year Competition.  When his competitors Black Bellamy (Piven), Cutlass Liz (Hayek) and Peg Leg Hastings (Henry) unveil impressive loot, the crew sets sail to prove their worth.

Along the way they encounter Charles Darwin (Tennant), who solves their money problems: enter a science competition.  Can they outmaneuver Darwin and his man-panzee Mr. Bobo, and hide from pirate-hating Queen Victoria (Staunton), and still make it back in time to claim the prize?


The latest film from Aardman Animations.  They wanted to make a pirate movie while working on Flushed Away, so it makes sense that their next film would feature pirates.  The story and characters are taken from two books in "The Pirates!" series by Gideon Defoe.  I've never read the series, but this film has intrigued me to look into the books.

The film serves as a return to form for Aardman Animations... featuring clay figurines and stop-motion animation.  Some of the scenery was generated by computer animation (like Flushed Away).  The animation is well done (and I expect nothing less from Aardman).  The voice talents are strong, but apparently several characters are different between the British and American versions, which is disappointing.  Why change the voices?

The story was funny and has the ability to entertain many ages: kids will love the slapstick, while adults will appreciate the humor.

The Pirates! Band of Misfits (2012) 88 minutes
Director: Peter Lord & Jeff Newitt
Starring: Hugh Grant as The Pirate Captain
Martin Freeman as The Pirate with the Scarf
Imelda Staunton as Queen Victoria
David Tennant as Charles Darwin
Jeremy Piven as Black Bellamy
Salma Hayek as Cutlass Liz
Lenny Henry as Peg Leg Hastings
Brian Blessed as The Pirate King
Anton Yelchin as The Albino Pirate
Brendan Gleeson as The Pirate with Gout
Ashley Jensen as The Surprisingly Curvaceous Pirate
Al Roker as The Pirate Who Likes Sunsets and Kittens

Underworld: Awakening

"Your kind will never be as powerful as us. No matter how hard you fight, you won't win."
"You don't know me very well."

Humans have discovered the existence of vampires and lycans, and begin to destroy them.  When the city is no longer safe, vampire Selene (Beckinsale) and lycan Michael attempt to flee the city.  Michael is shot and Selene is captured.

Selene wakes in a strange facility, half frozen.  She escapes to find that twelve years have passed and humans are working on an antidote for the virus responsible for vampires and lycans.  The majority of vampires and lycans have been annihilated, causing the rest to hide.  Selene and her rescuer, known as Subject 2 (Eisley), were test subjects at the Antigen Laboratory, the lab working on the antidote.  The rendezvous with a coven of vampires and discover that lycans still exist.  Can they defeat the lycans and humans?


The fourth film in the Underworld film series (Underworld, Underworld: Evolution, and Underworld: Rise of the Lycans).  The plot returns the focus to Selene, which is a wise choice since Kate Beckinsale is a great actress and action star.  Unfortunately, they are missing a dynamic male lead / villain and Scott Speedman, who portrays lycan Michael Corvin, is not in the film... his character appears, but is played by another actor with Speedman's likeness imposed on the body.  It doesn't fool anyone: either put Speedman in the film, recast the part and fully commit to that, or don't use the character.

The premise is intriguing.  In all the other Underworld films, the conflict arises between the vampires and lycans, keeping humans completely out of the picture.  But now that Corvinus is not around to cleanup and shift focus, it's only natural that it would be noticeable.  So the story makes sense within the world they have created... but again, Beckinsale needs better / stronger co-stars who elevate the material, regardless how odd / campy it may be, and up the ante.  That is not the case here.  Theo James' David character was ok, but is missing from some key scenes, and then suddenly appears again.  Michael Ealy is good, but not great.  No one else stands out.

Feels like a wasted opportunity.  There could be a fifth film in the canon, but only if the producers get stronger actors / dynamic characters and bring Speedman back!

Underworld: Awakening (2012) 88 minutes
Rating: R for strong violence and gore, and for some language.
Director: Mans Marlind & Bjorn Stein
Starring: Kate Beckinsale as Selene
Theo James as David
India Eisley as Subject 2 / Eve
Michael Ealy as Detective Sebastian
Stephen Rea as Dr. Jacob Lane
Kris Holden-Ried as Quint Lane